The Issue of Forgiveness
by eva-after
Summary: One-Shot. A conversation between TK and Ken about the past and forgiving oneself. Takes place after Ken stops being the Digimon Emperor but before he joins the group.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. _

_Just something I can imagine happening between these two characters. I always found TK and Ken to be quite similar in personalities and experiences. Because of that, I can definitely imagine these two becoming close friends._

* * *

TK wandered around the school thinking about the issue of Ken. Davis was still annoying the others, trying to convince them that Ken should join the group. TK was the only spared from his talk. Davis hadn't talked to him about it yet and the only reason TK knew about the idea was because Yolei had told him.

He slid opened the door then stopped, realising he had reached the computer room. They weren't going to the Digital World today because everyone else was busy and it was dangerous for him to go by himself. He could only suppose that, while lost in his thoughts, his feet had automatically trekked the familiar path to the computer room.

'I thought we weren't going to the Digital World today?' Patamon said as he flew through an open window.

'We aren't. I just came to have a look to see if everything was ok.' TK randomly made an excuse. He didn't really know why; everyone got lost in their thoughts some time or another. He supposed that it worried him, that the amount of time in his life spent battling the darkness in the Digital World meant he travelled the battle-laden path without even thinking about it.

Now that he had said it, TK moved to the computer and brought up a map of the Digital World. Black dots representing the Control Spires littered the map and the devastation caused by the Digimon Emperor could be seen throughout the entire world.

He winced at the sight but thoughts of the perpetrator of the damage brought him back to his original thoughts. What to do about Ken Ichijouji? Was there a difference between the boy and the Digimon Emperor? Or was he still evil underneath it all? Was the sorrow and regret a façade or was it genuine?

TK was willing to give Ken a second chance, that he really did regret his actions. Most of the time. Several times, when the others had complained to him about how stupid Davis' idea was, he had wanted to defend him, to say he believed that Davis was right. But every time he was on the verge of speaking an image of Devimon flashed into his head. Ken had searched for that digimon, had wanted to embrace what it meant. And every time TK remembered that he went looking for Devimon, anger surged in his chest, making it hard to breathe, making it hard for him to even think that Ken had a right to join the Digidestined. So he had remained silent, and let Yolei, Cody and Kari think he supported their side.

'TK, are you ok?' Patamon's voice jolted him out of his thoughts.

TK smiled at the digimon. 'I'm fine.' Glancing at the screen he saw one of the black dots disappear. 'Patamon, did you see that?'

'Yeah I did. Someone's destroying the Control Spires.'

TK enlarged the area where the Spire had disappeared. Accessing one of the TVs that served as a portal and camera, he scanned the area and saw two familiar figures.

In the group, TK acted as the voice of caution to counter-balance Davis' impulsive thinking. When TK was alone, he sometimes developed an impulsivity that rendered him as reckless as the goggle-wearing boy. Such as now.

'Come on Patamon. Let's go to the Digital World.'

* * *

'That's another Control Spire Ken.' Stingmon announced to his partner, trying to keep him focused.

'That's a great job Stingmon.' Ken said tiredly. 'Let's go home. Mum might be worried about where I am.'

Stingmon de-digivolved back into Wormmon and Ken picked him up. They walked along the beach when Ken noticed four small mounds up ahead. Sticking out of all four was a little cross, roughly made from sticks. He stopped at the sight of the graves.

'Wormmon, do you know who made these?' Ken asked. Wormmon shook his head. Ken's face became filled with guilt. 'No doubt they're for digimon I killed.'

'Actually, they're not.' Ken turned around to find the source of the voice. 'Mimi made them four years ago, to honour our friends.'

The blonde boy Ken recognised as TK and his digimon, Patamon came up. TK didn't look at him, but rather at the graves. He had a sad expression on his face.

'What do you mean?' Wormmon asked.

'Four years ago, eight of us were called to the Digital World to fight the enemy. On that journey we lost friends who sacrificed themselves for us. Mimi built these in remembrance of them.' TK said this in as lightly trance-like state as he recalled the memories. 'That one is for Chuumon, this one's for Whamon, this is for Wizardmon and the last is for Piximon.' He pointed to each grave respectively.

'You obviously won.' TK nodded in confirmation. Ken turned his head away. 'And then I came and ruined your good work.'

There was a moment of silence and then what Ken heard surprised him. 'I saw you talking to Davis the other day. You should stop blaming yourself.'

'What?' Ken turned back to TK incredulously, for the moment his shock overcoming his guilt.

'What you did was wrong. But you can't change the past.' TK said calmly. 'You're sorry for what you did and you're trying to fix it. That's what's important.'

'How can you say that? What I did was unforgivable!' Ken said to TK, wallowing in his guilt again.

There was a pause before TK spoke again. 'Do you know that the crests represent our strongest trait?'

'Well, obviously they got it wrong with me.' Ken said dryly. 'The Crest of Kindness. I've done horrible things.'

'But what you've done only enforces your right to the Crest.' TK replied, confusing Ken more. 'Look, while Kindness is your strongest attribute it also means that Cruelty is the darkness goes with it. When you're hurt or upset, you naturally embrace the opposite of who you are. It works that way with everyone. Kari has the Crest of Light but it means she's also susceptible to the Dark. I have the Crest of Hope and it means my worst enemy is Despair. '

'But you weren't weak like me. None of you succumbed to it.'

'That's not true.' TK said quietly. Patamon flew into his arms and the boy cradled him absent-mindedly. 'On our first adventure Tai was our leader. His crest is Courage. He tried to make Agumon digivolve to ultimate before he was ready because he was scared he couldn't protect us. It led to a dark digivolution and Agumon ended up digivolving to Skullgreymon who was beyond even Tai's control. After that incident Tai was afraid that Agumon would dark digivolve again which led to him being unable to digivolve at all, even to champion level. My brother Matt, he has the crest of Friendship. He got Metalgarurumon to attack Tai because he fell victim to loneliness. Later he was almost swallowed by darkness, literally, because he felt he was alone in the world. Our biggest faults are the opposites of our biggest strengths.'

'That's a bit of a paradox isn't it?' Ken paused for a moment. 'But what I did was so much worse than that.'

'Did you ever have a problem with the crest of Hope?' Wormmon suddenly asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.

'Wormmon!' Ken scolded. 'I'm-'

'Everyone has problems with their crest.' TK cut in with a crooked smile. 'Unfortunately, you were at the receiving end when it came to me.'

'What? You mean our fight?' Ken asked. 'I deserved that.'

TK shook his head. 'Whether or not you deserved that, the reasons why I fought were the wrong ones. Remember Devimon?' Ken nodded his head slowly. 'I've faced him before. A long time ago. To defeat him…Patamon sacrificed himself.' TK hugged Patamon tightly. A dark cloud seemed to fill his face. 'I remember, and I'm always filled with a deep worry that he'll die and won't come back. I despair so much it comes out of me in anger.' He gave a crooked smile. 'Like I said, everyone struggles, some more than others.'

'Right, I should just forget it all happened?' Ken asked sarcastically.

'I never said that.' TK replied. 'You should never forget. You learn from the past. If you forget what happened then you'll find it's so much easier to fall victim again.'

There was a long pause. 'Did Davis ask you to talk to me?' Ken asked abruptly.

TK gave a guilty laugh. 'Actually, I'm not even supposed to be here. And Davis hasn't actually talked to me about having you join us yet.'

'I thought he would've liked to have you on his side.'

'Davis has a silly thing where he doesn't always talk to TK about this stuff.' Patamon said truthfully. 'Something to do with Kari.'

'I'm not sure Davis thinks I'll be on his side.' TK said. 'We don't always agree on things.'

'Only because half of what he says is silly.'

'Patamon!'

'What, it's true!'

'So how come you're so willing to forgive me for what I've done?' Ken interrupted.

TK shrugged. 'Probably because I know how powerful the forces of darkness are. I know that they can corrupt a good person. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. And I know the pain of losing your partner. But it's not so much if I, or anyone else, is willing to forgive you. The question is, whether you're willing to forgive yourself?'

TK walked off, Patamon flying above his head. Ken was left there, still holding Wormmon.

'Ken, are you ok?'

'I'm fine Wormmon. I just have a lot to think about.'

* * *

The next day at school TK walked over to his friends at lunch. Davis was attempting to talk the others while Kari, Yolei and Cody simply sat there, attempting to ignore him.

When Yolei saw TK walking over she cried out 'TK, please tell Davis he is an idiot for even thinking about it.'

'Thinking about what?' TK asked. He thought it had to do with Ken but Yolei and Davis were always arguing about something.

'You're going to disagree with me but I think Ken should join us.' Davis said defiantly, glaring at TK.

'It's a stupid idea.' Yolei said immediately.

'Ken's changed, I know he has.' Davis argued back. 'He's a digidestined, just like us.'

'He is NOT like us!' Cody said angrily.

'Ken's gonna have to prove to me that he's changed.' Kari added, frowning. 'What do you think TK?'

'Of course he agrees with you.' Davis said in a huff. 'That's why I didn't tell him about it in the first place.'

'TK's smart.' Yolei said. 'Unlike someone I know.'

As Davis began arguing back, TK's thoughts naturally went to the conversation he had with him yesterday.

'He made digimon suffer!' Yolei yelled. 'What does he know about pain?'

TK's mind flashed to the final fight between Devimon and Angemon. And the image of Devimon while in the Emperor's Base. But this time, a picture of Ken as he clutched a dying Wormmon came with it. He realised that yesterday's conversation had helped make up his mind on the topic.

_He probably knows pain more than most of us._ TK mused. He realised everyone was staring at him and silence had fallen over the group. _Oops, I must've said that aloud._

TK shrugged and went ahead. 'I agree with Davis.'

The silence stretched out. 'What?!' Everyone yelled out at the same time. TK flinched a little at the noise.

'Have you gone nuts?!' Yolei yelled.

'I sure hope not.' TK answered cheerfully. 'Look, I believe everyone deserves a second chance. And I also believe he really is sorry for what he's done.'

'TK, look at what he did.' Cody said.

'I was there the entire time. I know.' TK replied.

'How do you know he's changed though?' Kari said. 'I've yet to see anything he's done.'

'Well, he's knocking down Control Spires for one.' TK replied to the surprise of the others. 'Anyway, if we don't give him a chance, how is he ever going to show us he's changed?'

'Ha!' Davis was jumping up and down. 'Man, I would've talked to you earlier if I'd known you'd be on my side!'

'I've known for a while Davis.' TK said dryly. 'I saw you talking to Ken the other day.' Davis froze as the others turned and gave him angry glares. 'Stop pushing him. When he's ready, he'll join us.'

TK looked at his watch and sighed. 'Look, I gotta go. Mr Fujiyama wanted to talk to me about something.'

As he headed off he could feel his friends staring at him. No doubt he had surprised them. He hoped he had given them food for thought.

* * *

They had just returned home after defeating Malomyotismon. TK was exhausted but he couldn't sleep. Patamon was at his side, snoring away. He was actually sleeping on the couch, as his mother had insisted Ken and his parents stay over as they lived too far away. He gave up trying to sleep and went quietly onto the balcony. He sat there for a while, staring at the stars.

'Can't sleep?' TK turned around to see Ken standing behind him.

TK gave him a crooked smile. 'You think after all the excitement I would just switch off.'

'Same here.' Ken moved next to him. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. 'I never said thank you.'

'For what?' TK asked.

'That conversation we had a while back, about forgiving myself.' Ken said shyly. 'It really helped. So…I guess I just wanted to say thanks.'

'We're digidestined, right?' TK grinned. 'We all help each other out. My kindness is your kindness and your hope is my hope.' He paused then laughed. 'That was so corny.'

'Well, if you ever need my help, just ask.' Ken smiled. TK returned it. Ken yawned. 'I'm going back to bed. Night and thanks again.'

'Night.' TK stayed on the balcony all night, pondering the change in his friend.

* * *

_Not a fantastic story in my own opinion but everyone is their own worst critic. Please review and tell me what you think!_

_Thanks for reading!_


End file.
